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Show Sports Wednesday, January 3. 1990 Lady. Ute cagers coll The Daily t'tah Chronicle - Page Fifteen past Montana State By Jim relinquished the lead. Aside from three early fouls on Burton Chronicle Sports Writer forward Kristi Smith, Utah's pressure defense worked perfectly. Elliott's press kept the Bobcats at bay and led to eight full-cou- rt It was bitter cold outside the Jon M. Huntsman Center Tuesday night. Inside it wasn't much better. The Lady Ute basketball team, behind the 13 points of Tanya Zachary and 33 Montana State turnovers, won its first game of the '90's in an easy fashion, ' 73-5- 1. The indoor cold spell came at the feeble hands of the Bobcats, who shot 42 percent and who darn-nea- r committed Ir an HCAC-recor- d turnovers. 4 20 first-hal- f "Our game plan was to put pressure on them and work the passing lanes," Utah Coach Elaine Elliott said. "We thought that would work them against (Montana State) and it did." Indeed. After an early 2-- 0 lead (and missed an early freethrow " herself, but freshman guard Anna Wherry quickly got the ball back and put up a 16 footer for the early lead. Not to be outdone, junior point-guar- d Melanee Brooks-McQuee- n nailed a three-pointto put Utah The Lady Utes never ahead la, Chronicle Photo by Andrew Holloway n d Melanee Junior MSlts shooters at bay Tuesday night. , Is k used her quick defense to Brooks-McQuee- " U. er 3-- 2. Chronicle Sports Editor has run Disappointment rampant on the hill, athletically speaking. Besides I dare not comment on fusion, President ,r and a scattered collection of individual athletes representing the entire spectrum of Utah's team sports. But hey, as Rick Majerus once said, "It's kinda like throwing a couple of deck chairs off the Queen Mary. . Indeed if the U. . athletic program were placed on a scale, the bad would no doubt outweigh the good by a comfortable margin, sort of like Pee Wee Herman vs. Andre the Giant. Fortunately the tide seems to be changing as Utah athletics enters the final decade of the century. Yes sir, Ute Athletic shots and successful three-poia far cry are atmosphere winning from former Ute skipper Lynn nt ; Archibald's passive style of play. What a difference a year makes! In 1989, the Ute cagers finished with a 16-1- 7 mark. Not bad for some, but horrible for a projected conference titlist. However, the hoopsters did not stand alone in of world the lonely disappointment. Despite showing flashes of brilliance last spring, the Ute ski team finished a close second to rival Vermont, at the NCAA Championships in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Close but no cigar, although well deserving of praise, the runner-u- p position must still be labeled as a disappointment. As e finish by the must the the national at Lady Ute gymnasts meet last year. fifth-plac- However, both national powerhouses appear ready, willing and able to return to past greatness Director Chris Hill has added in the '90s. Quality institutions always seem to bounce back on Majerus (basketball), Ron McBride top. (football) and perhaps more importantly a new attitude to help gridiron, where Utah has not n bowl participated in a 1964. some since Although game would say Utah football is an exercise in futility. New Coach Ron McBride would have us believe otherwise, "I'm going to get you to the top. I guarantee it," McBride declared at the press conference announcing his hiring. With that kind of attitude, is it any wonder the Crimson Club is so excited post-seaso- 7-- decade of the '80s has been less, very less than memorable for the captured conference titles. Even the track team got into the swing of things by sending two athletes (Brenda Alcorn and Eric Chesley) to the NCAA Championships. Also noteworthy was the play last year of the women's tennis team 1-- 32 window in the Union Building, this team has held strong and is a pleasant surprise at 4 overall. And much credit is due for interim coach Joe Cravens, his staff and the team itself. The diving after loose balls, the hand, the final chapter in the campaign, All three squads season. through a miserable However, with the idle days of the past gone. The program now appears headed in a new direction as the search for a new coach is underway one that will rebuild the squad in the '90s. Such thinking leads one to the volleyball team, who suffered career-threateni- face it, complaining does very, little just ask Jim Fassel. But getting back to the business at Oh, it wasn't all bad. Granted, the Lady Ute basketball team, the men's swimming team and men's tennis program enjoyed a fine Hill is searching for. And if the grades are indicative of the playing surgery and the injury of promising freshman Phil Dixon, who lost a fight with a glass Peterson or the availabiUty or lack of "U" parking on campus. Let's Unfortunately the same cannot be said for several other Utah these days? . . I'll believe when I see it, after last season's 8 mark, Certainly things can't get much worse. This leads us to the golden arm of Ute quarterback Scott Mitchell. Should he or shouldn't he? Mitchell, who is presently debating a jump to the NFL, may hold the keys for future Ute success. Another year 4-- (hopefully with improved surroundings) with Mitchell Classic. loss Dec. 21. "Both Mikki and De'Andra have really come on," Elliott said. "They b'oth had great games two weeks ago and they've worked their way up higher in our rotation. I think our whole bench has really come through for us, and that's kept us competitive." to open heart surgery in such a fellow to take over. Joe at the Cravens, also in his first-ye,U., was ready, willing and able to take command of the Utah cagers on an interim basis while Majerus, the Ute skipper mends from the seven bypasses that were required to mend the big man's heart. "My initial concern was with Rick. Obviously his health was my number one concern," Cravens said about learning from his boss that he would be handed the reins ar for the balance of the 1989-9- "I think from a team standpoint it was a great game because coming off a couple of losses, it gives us a boost," Hill said. "For myself, it was fun to get in and play. I just tried to keep calm and stay in the offense." Utah (73) Hill 3-- 3, 0-- Montgomery 1-- 1-- 8, Shaheen Zachary 5-- 8, 3-4-- Snow 4-- Carpenter totals 27-5- 1-- 0-- 3, 1-- 1-- 0 2-- 3-- 4, 0-- 1, Wherry Neiss 0-- 1-- 11, Sears 0-- 0 (1-1- ), 5-- 9 2-- 5, (1-12-- 3 2, Cober 3 Burleson Schroeder totals 18-3- 3-- 7-- 4, 1-- 0-- 2, 13-2- 1 7, 2 6, Bauer 0-- 3, 1-- 0-- 1-- 1, 2-- ), 0 4, 2 Team 2. 73 Montana State (51) 2 1, Flock Ross n 12, 1 7, 2 9, 5 Brooks-McQuee- Smith 2, 16-2- 3 8, 3-- (3-3- ), 0 0-- 4-1- 4, 6, Alcorn 10, B. 4 5, Kane 13, 5 5 0-- 1-- 3, 3-- 6, 0 3-- 4 3, Alcorn 2, K. 0-- 0 2, 8 5-- 8 2, 1 13, 1-- 1, 13, 2 1, 2. Team 51 1977 at Southwest Texas State. In 1980, he returned to his alma mater Texas-Arlingto- and n remained there until he joined the later. Huskies a Cravens chose to come to Utah for a variety of reasons. "I had a couple of other options. Rick Majerus was probably the biggest factor. I also heard an awful lot of good things about Salt Lake half-deca- de City and the tradition of the program at the University of Utah." Little did the coach realize what awaited him in Utah. The subsequent loss of Majerus, coupled with the freak accident to eager Phil Dixon, who will miss the season with a lacerated nerve in his leg, would certainly put a damper on the dreams of many Ute basketball enthusiasts but not Cravens, who became a father for on December 27. .the first-tim- e "For me it has not been a struggle. I don't worry about things that I have no control over. And I think the team had adopted the same idea," Cravens said. "We'll just take what life deals us and keep slugging. The team has responded marvelously to all the adversity and has shown a lot of maturity." ld Cravens leads the Utes into Western Athletic Conference Thursday night in San Diego. Utah sports a 4 record including a 2 7-- 3-- mark under Cravens. Despite V k ' A ' 4 "V . And just like time, the U. athletic department must move ld getting a taste of being in charge the interim leader plans on remaining with Utah in the future. "I'll step back into the shadows again next year and I accept that. When Rick comes back the water will find its own level. (The doctors) are going to let Rick recruit in February and that will help us in the long run a player will see the head coach and not an assistant in the stands watching him play," Cravens, who maintains a weekly conversation with Majerus on the academic and g of each team personal at the end of the Ute well-bein- rainbow. At least many of us hope ,. 0 campaign. "It's something I pretty much prepared myself for, for 14 years. The foundation we were after here is pretty much in place and I will not deviate from it." Cravens, who joined Majerus at Utah this season, has served as an assistant coach in the college ranks for 14 years. Prior to joining the Ute braintrust, Cravens assisted Andy Russo at Washington of the Pacific 10 Conference. His stint at Seattle began in 1985 and they must have done in 1964. However, caution should be exercised, just like the song says, "Life was so much easier twenty mid-Decemb- the Utah mentor had to look no further than his bench for Hopefully all the pieces will so. freshman guard Kim d Hill. The Scoltsburg, Ind., native broke into the coaching ranks in In times of need it's always nice to have a "Good Joe" to count on. And with the sudden departure of Ute basketball coach Rick Majerus come together so that the. U. will once again be able to add the word happy to a new year, like pot-o'-go- seldom-use- extended through last season. By fortunes to a level of optimism for the future. ever pnwara. Maybe there's a six points worth of help from Northern Illinois in an overtime calling the shots could lift Utah football from it's present down and out position and return the Ute years ago." combined for 26 total points. Not only did Utah get the expected points from its bench usuals, it got 15:38 left in the half, Elliott went with a wholesale line-u- p change, subbing in four new players. Two of those players, Junior guard De'Andra Montgomery and freshman Mikki Kane, were coming off career-hignights in the December Seattle Times Dirk Facer ' Chronicle Sports Editor programs that struggled through the 1989 campaign. This group is best epitomized by the Lady Ute programs, what with the loss of Coach Rick Majerus to heart the Lady Utes competitive Tuesday night. Utah's bench Utah's competent bench. With - overcome the deficit of negativity that presently exists. Success on the playing field and in the classroom: that's the balance style of the Rurinin' Utes this year, such an equilibrium is definitely within grasp. I'm telling ya folks, Ute basketball is once again fun to watch. Despite being a victim of the bad luck that has plagued the U. sports it. "I sent them home for a week at Christmas," Elliott said. "I guess "everyone got fatigued a little." To counter the fatigue factor, Elliott did a masterful job using The play of Montgomery, Kane, junior guard Kelly Shaheen and senior Sheri Snow certainly kept Interim coach brings vast experience to U. - changing fo r th e bette r Whew! Mercifully 1989 has come to an end and no doubt, as far as the U. athletic department is concerned, it didn't come a day too soon. After all, the past 12 months, with few exceptions, had yielded more heartache than a visit to Graceland. Obviously it doesn't take a genius to figure this one out it only takes time, lot's of U. center Schroeder, MSU's ! Dirk Facer- haunt her. Alcorn missed a pair of Montgomery led Utah with 17 the Bobcats were points against Washington on Dec. freethrows), never in the game. Sandra 20 and Kane scored 21 against '' 1 Though everything seemed to click when it counted, Elliott said that she was a bit concerned before the game that the week off'she'd given her team would come back to h even that came after Utah's Karen point-guar- steals. first-ha- lf 73-5- 1 Joe Cravens member, said. "I believe every dark see "Cravens" on page nineteen |
